Name wrote:

teebo wrote in newsp.t0tdzejqbr8ivg@300pl:


Den 2007-10-25 10:50:12 skrev foo :
DOS is whole other problem. DOS itself don't need a driver
to print with a parallel port printer. just print.


I understand HP has removed parallel ports from their printers
too.

Lots of Win 98 users still use DOS programs under 98 that don't
work easily with USB printers.

The problem is that many of the newer printers are GDi only and DOS
applications cannot print to them. If the printer doesn't do PCL
emulation chances are DOS applications can't use it, verify with the
printer manufacturer. Many, if not almost all, multi-function printers
sold today are GDI only.

In days of old printers had "brains". The print processing was done by
the printer, the DOS applications only needed to send minimal
instructions to the printer and the printer did all the work of
preparing and assembling the printed documents. These printers were
more expensive than their newer counterparts. In a bid to save money
printer manufacturers have gradually striped all the "brains" out of
their printers in favour of software driven printers, now all the work
is done by software instead of the actual printer hardware, that has
reduced the cost of printers but these printers are "Windows" only
printers and DOS applications cannot use them, or at least cannot use
them without third party solutions. If you want the printer to be DOS
compatible you usually have to pay more for PCL emulation capability.

It's hard to know exactly how much money the manufacturers are actually
saving by having stripped all the "brains" out of the printers but it
probably amounts to a massive amount of about 42¢, although some think
it's probably more like 12 cents per unit...

There are software solutions for printing to these new printers,
basically a peice of software captures an LPT port and it then
translates the output from the DOS application and sends it to the printer.

John